John j



(No Model.)

J. J. BURROWS.

COVER FOR MAN HOLES 0R CATCH BASINS. No. 386,768. Patented July 24,1888.

UNITED STATES JOHN J. BURROWVS, OF WVASHINGTON, DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA,ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF TO JOHN T. SPBINGMAN, JR., OF SAME PLACE.

COVER FOR MAN-HOLES OR CATCH-BASINS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 386,768, dated July24-, 1888.

Application filed March 23, 1888. Serial No. 269,289.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JOHN J. BURROW'S, a citizenof the United States,residing at \Vashington, in the District of Columbia, have inventedcertain new and useful Improvements in Covers for Man-Holes orCatch-Basins, of which the following is such a full, clear, and exactdescription as will enable any one skilled in the art to which itappertains to make and use the same, reference being had to theaccompanying drawings, forming part of this specification.

My invention relates to covers for man-holes or catch-basins or any ofthe usual, openings communicating with sewers or subways, and throughwhich access may be gained to such sewer or subway.

The invention has special reference to means for automatically lockingthe cover, and it is adapted to be attached to any kind of cover usedwith man-holes, catch-basins, sewer or water traps, or the like. Theseman-holes or catch-basins occur at frequent intervals in the streets ofcities and are usually placed flush with the paved surface of thestreet,so as not to prove an obstacle to traffic. These covers have tobe removable, so that access may be had to the sewer or subway, and manyof them are formed with gratinglike openings for ventilation. \Vherethese covers have been laid loosely over the manholes or catch-basins ithas been found that the covers become constantly displaced by the wheelsof vehicles rolling over them or by horses treading upon them. Again, ifthese gratinglike covers be loosely laid, there is great liability ofthe calks on horses shoes becoming wedged in the open ings of the coverand lifting the same off the man-hole. It therefore becomes desirable tohave these covers removable and at the same time have them constructedso that they may be locked securely when closed.

The object of my invention is to provide a simple automatically-lockingcover to be used with a man-hole or catch-basin. To the afore saidpurpose Inyinvention, briefly stated,eonsists in a cover removablyhinged to the bedplate and provided with a swinging gravitydog having aperforated extension or handle and acting to automatically lock thecover (No model.)

when closed, the dog being accessible from the exterior of the coverthatit may be grasped by the handle for unlocking the same.

The invention further consistsin the details of construction of thevarious parts of the device, all as hereinafter fully described andclaimed.

In order that my invention may be fully understood I,have illustratediu'the accompanying drawings, and will proceed to describe the best formthereof so far devised by me, such form, however, admitting ofmodifications.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a plan view of arectangular-shaped catchbasin provided with my improvements. Fig. 2 is asectional view on line2 2 of Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a sectional view, similarto that shown in Fig. 2, of a circular-shaped man-hole provided with myimprovements.

In the said drawings, like numbers of reference designate like andcorresponding parts throughout.

Referring to the drawingsA. is the bed-plate or frame formed with theopening 5. The cover 6 closes over the opening 5 of the bedplate and isremovably hinged to the plate by means of the inwardly-projectinglocking-lug 7, formed upon the inside of the bedplate, and thecooperating outwardly-projccti ng lug 8o 8, mounted upon the under sideof the cover.

In the construction I have shown the lockinglug 7 is an extension of theshoulder 9, which extends entirely around the inside of the bedplate andupon which rests the cover when closed. The interlocking of these twolugs 7 and 8 forms an open hinge, by means of which the cover can beremoved when open and can be locked when closed.

On the opposite side of the cover from the log 8 is formed an eye, .10,in which is loosely riveted the eyebolt 11, in the eye of which swingsthe gravity-dog 12, which is formed with an eye, 13, interlocking withthe eye of the bolt 11. The gravity-dog is formed with 5 a locking-lip,14, which engages the projection 15 upon the bed-plate and automaticallylocks therewith when the cover is closed, as shown in the drawings. Thedog is formed with an extension oppositely disposed to the I00locking-lip 14, so as to constitute a hand1e,the end of which isprovided with a hole, 16, into which a wire may be introduced throughthe perforation 17 in the cover for retracting the dog, so as todisengage the same from the locking-projection 15, whereupon the covermay be opened.

In the drawings I show two forms of cover, 6, the one in Figs. 1 and 2being formed'grating-like, and the one in Fig. 3 being solid, withindentations on the exposed surface. In the former construction thegravity-dog may be reached through one of the grating-openings, as 17,while inthe latter construction I have to especially form theperforation 17, through which a wire may be passed in order to grasp thegravity-dog.

The operation of the device is quite evident. The dog being free toswing gravitates into a vertical depending position, as shown in thefigures, when the cover is closed, so that the lip 14 thereof takesunder the projection 15 of the bed-plate. The cover is unlocked bypassing a wire or rod 'through the opening 17, grasping the dog andretracting it into the dotted-line position shown in Fig. 2, so as todisengage the dog from the projection 15, whereupon the cover may beraised.

Having thus described myimprovements in man-hole or catch-basin covers,what I claim as my invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent,isi 1. The combination, with the bed-plate 4, formed with an opening, 5,and provided with the shoulder 9 and the lug 7, of the cover providedwith the lug 8 and formed with an opening, 17, the gravity-dog12,provided with thehandle perforated at 16 and mounted on the cover soas to swing freely, and the locking projection 15 for the dog to lockwith, substantially as described.

2. The combination, with the bed-plate 4, formed with the opening 5 andprovided with the shoulder 9 and the lug 7, of the cover 6, formed withthe opening 17 and provided with the ing 8, the eyebolt 11, riveted tothe cover, the gravity-dog 12, swinging on said eyebolt and providedwith the locking-lip 14 and the perforation 16, and the lockingprojection 15 for the dog, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I havehereunto set my hand and seal this 16th dayofFebruary,1888, in the presence of the two subscribing witnesses.

JNO. J.-BURROWS. [L. s.] Witnesses:

SOHUYLER DURYEE, CHAS. D. FOWLER.

